What Is Simone Ashley's Ethnicity and Who Are Her Parents?

Simone Ashley is a young promising star whose ethnicity is of Indian descent. She was born into a family of academics and is the only member of her family who chose a different career path.

Ashley is a British actress whose acting debut was in two episodes of the drama series, "Wolfblood," wherein she played Zuhra.

Her first stint was followed by appearances in the thriller series, "Guilt" in 2016 and the crime drama "Broadchurch" in 2017.

Ashley made her first feature film with a minor role in "Boogie Man" (2018) as Aarti. Her most significant role was playing The Girl in the thriller "Kill Ben Lyk" (2018).

The movie star, who featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 List in European entertainment, was born on March 30, 1995, in Camberley, United Kingdom.

Simone Ashley Once Shared Her Take on Representing Her Heritage in Her Work

Simone Ashley, born Simone Ashwini Pillai, falls part of the percentage of South Asian women who are underrepresented on-screen.

As a woman of Indian heritage playing the lead in a major drama, "Bridgerton," she was asked during a March 2022 interview whether the role came with a certain level of responsibility.

Ashley said, "Of course, I am deeply proud of my heritage, [but] no, because I'm not a spokesperson for Indian people, I'm an actress." She added her primary responsibility is to do the job and do justice to it while stating:

"Opportunities should be open for any individual, and I just think us being there is enough."

Simone Ashley Is the Only One in Her Whole Family Who Took to Acting

Born in Surrey, England, to parents Latha and Gunasekharan, Simone Ashley attended ArtsEd school in Chiswick to develop her acting skills. She once revealed:

"I was the only non-academic in my family. Music, film, photography, and art were my fortes."

Thankfully, her family has supported her through her indifferent career interest and helped her throughout her journey. Ashley was raised in a family of medical professionals, accountants, and engineers.

Growing up, she also took an interest in entertainment at home. She used the record player to play rock and 'n roll music or would opt for the late Rastafarian Bob Marley's music. For TV, Ashley used to watch the action movie "Kill Bill."

The "Sex Education" star and her loved ones relocated to London, where she pursued an acting career. When Ashley was young, it dawned on her that if she wanted to pursue acting, she would need some experience, make contacts with the people in the industry and ensure she understood how everything worked – and eventually go for it. She revealed this about herself:

"I was always fearless; if I want something, I'll go and get it. I'm like that with a lot of things in my life."

Simone Ashley Does Not Want to Get Stuck in Culturally Specific Roles

Simone Ashley once divulged which roles she will likely take on, "I'm interested in culturally specific roles, but also very much so non-culturally specific ones."

The "Straight Outta Compton" star wants to portray relatable roles because she wants to be solely recognized for her "talent." Ashley is self-confident about her intelligence and believes she has some inspiring notions up her sleeve.

She emphasized, "I want to be seen for that and not for how I look." The "10 Lives" star revealed she has turned down Bollywood roles in the past.

Ashley, who appeared in the ITV psychological thriller miniseries "The Sister" as Elise Fox in 2020, does not foresee her career taking that direction. She wants to switch up on the type of roles she has previously played and wants to go for those that people would not think she would go for in the future.

Ashley's career has been influenced by some of Hollywood's who's who including the iconic filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg, and actress Uma Thurman.